Doctors cleared of manslaughter

Two doctors from Great Ormond Street children's hospital in London were cleared last week of the manslaughter of a 12year old patient who was accidentally given the cytotoxic drug vincristine intrathecally instead of intravenously.

Dermot Murphy, a registrar in haematology, and John Lee, a specialist registrar in paediatric anaesthetics, were accused over the death of Richie William in July 1997.

The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case after deciding that the death was the result of a catalogue of mishaps and failings in the …